The second week of November is National Split Pea Soup week, which is not exactly headline news, but it does give me an opportunity to write about peas and related legumes. As a clinical nutritionist, I am always happy to pontificate on the health benefits of such a humble but nutrient-dense food group.
First, let’s get some terminology straight. Legumes, also known as pulses in the UK, are the broad category that includes beans, peas, and lentils. But nowadays, many people just use the simple term “beans” interchangeably with legumes, to refer to the whole category. And that’s what I’ll use in this article.
Beans come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. In addition, they can be eaten in many forms, including whole or split, ground into flours, or as separate “fractions,” such as protein, fiber, or starch.
The U.S. Dry Bean Council (USdrybean.com), which obviously wants us all to eat more beans, states that “beans are a healthy, great-tasting food, familiar to people across the globe.” Let’s examine why health professionals are so enamored of these plant foods.
Beans Supply Essential Nutrients
Beans are a low-glycemic-index (GI), fiber-rich source of complex carbohydrates. These macronutrients help you feel full and give you sustained energy throughout the day. Research nutritionist Susan Raatz, writing for beaninstitute.com, says, “The reduced glycemic index of dry beans helps reduce the glycemic load of the diet when served in a mixed meal.”
Beans also contain insoluble fiber, which helps to keep blood sugar levels stable; and soluble fiber, which can lower cholesterol and provide other heart-protective benefits. Raatz finds that beans are “ideal foods for the management of abnormalities associated with insulin resistance, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia.”
Next, beans are a rich source of protein, relative to other vegetable products, and contain the essential amino acid lysine, which is missing from most grains. That is why beans and grains are called complementary proteins: Eaten together, such as in rice-and-bean dishes, they supply all the amino acids necessary for the proper function of cells, tissues, and fluid in our body.
Beans are also a good source of several micronutrients, such as the minerals magnesium, potassium, and zinc, which are needed for many essential functions in the body. These minerals, especially magnesium, are in short supply in most Americans’ diets. Beans, on the whole, are also a rich vegetarian source of iron for those who may not be getting animal sources of this mineral. They also supply vitamins B6 and folate, both important vitamins for mood and memory.
Studies Back the Benefits of Beans
A 2012 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that eating legumes such as beans, chickpeas, or lentils as part of a low-glycemic index diet can improve glycemic control and reduce cardiovascular risk in people with type 2 diabetes. In the study, led by prominent GI researcher Dr. David Jenkins at the University of Toronto, those participants who ate a cup or more per day of beans showed clinically meaningful reductions in their blood pressure and in their A1C, a blood marker of blood sugar control. The American Diabetes Association suggests that people with diabetes include about one-half cup of dry beans and lentils per day in their meals.
Another study, published in 2014 in the journal Obesity, found a statistically significant effect in satiety in those consuming beans, compared against a control group. The authors felt that this may explain why bean eaters where better able to maintain long-term weight loss. There are also several studies suggesting that bean consumption is associated with lower body weight and smaller waist circumference (Beaninstitute.com).
In addition, the large Nurses Health Study analyzed the eating habits of 35,000 participants and found that women who ate four or more servings of legumes a week were 33 percent less likely to develop pre-cancerous colon polyps. The researchers attribute this benefit to beans’ unique phytochemicals. These plant nutrients – saponins, lignans, and phytosterol – are under study for potential benefits in fighting cancer and heart disease. This fits in nicely with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans that suggest about one-third to one-half cup of cooked beans per day.
Beans Are Easy
Beans are economical, convenient, and versatile. You can find them in virtually all food stores, and they can be used in an amazing variety of dishes, from appetizers to desserts. “Easily cooked, beans can serve as main meal or side dish, or they can be added to other foods, such as soups and salads, to increase nutritional value and to add flavor and texture.” This seems to hold true across the globe: Beans have universal appeal and are found in many ethnic dishes. Cancer researcher Henry Thompson, director of the Cancer Prevention Laboratory at Colorado State University, talking at a convention of bean growers, remarked that “beans can be a crop for health.…They are a staple crop, accessible and affordable…and can play an important role in fighting obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and other health issues.”
Bean Recipes
Most of you may have encountered beans in their overcooked state, in cholent and perhaps in hummus, where chickpeas are the key ingredient. Some may already be consuming them on a regular basis having already discovered their culinary versatility. Here are some unusual and of course more familiar ways to continue the trend. Bon Appetite.
Fudgy Black Bean Brownies
Here’s a delicious and sneaky way to get your beans in with dessert. Just serve it and kvell. I won’t tell if you don’t. I adapted this recipe from beaninstitiute.com.
One 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 large eggs
3 T. canola oil
1/2 c. natural sugar
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa or carob powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract, optional
1/2 tsp. baking powder
Pinch salt
1/2 c. mini-semi-sweet chocolate chips or carob chips, divided
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil or coat an 8x8-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Place beans in the bowl of food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Add eggs, oil, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and peppermint extract, baking powder, and salt. Process until smooth. Add 1/4 cup chips and pulse a few times until the chips are incorporated. Pour batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top with a rubber spatula, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan before slicing into 2-inch squares.
3+3 Bean Salad
This recipe, also modified from beaninstitute.com, is really easy to assemble with ingredients you can stock in your pantry.
1 16 oz. can green beans, drained
1 15 oz. can dark red kidney beans
1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans
1 15 oz. can great northern or navy beans
1 15 oz. can pinto beans
1 15 oz. can black beans
1/4 c. sliced green onions and tops
Drain and rinse all beans, and put in a large bowl with a cover. Add onions.
Ginger Dressing
1/2 c. grapeseed or olive oil
1/2 c. apricot preserves
1/4 c. cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. ground ginger
Mix the ingredients for the ginger dressing in a small bowl. Add to bean mixture and mix. Cover and refrigerate. Turn bowl over occasionally during the first few hours to mix the dressing and ingredients. Serve cold.
Peanut Butter Chickpea Energy Balls
Here’s a clever way to get the nutritional bonanza of beans in a portable snack. I found this recipe on cookingwithpulses.com
1 1/2 c. chickpeas, cooked
1/2 c. all-natural peanut butter, smooth (almond butter will also work)
1/3 c. honey
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch salt
1 1/4 c. ground oat flour
1/3 c. mini chocolate or carob chips
Place chickpeas, peanut butter, and honey in a food processor and blend for about a minute on high or until mixture is smooth. Add cinnamon, vanilla, salt, and oat flour, and pulse until combined. Dough should be similar to cookie dough consistency. If too dry, add more peanut butter; if too wet, add more oat flour. Add chocolate chips and pulse until combined. Finally, using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop a heaping tablespoon of dough and roll between your palms to form a ball. Repeat. Store in the fridge or freezer!
Chickpea Gingersnaps
I love the idea of using chickpea flour. With some slight tweaking, this recipe from the companion website of the USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council, cookingwithpulses.com is a real winner.
2 c. chickpea flour
2 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
6 T. butter, natural shortening, palm oil, or coconut oil, at room temperature
1/2 – 3/4 c. natural sugar
1 egg
1/4 c. molasses
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour through baking soda). In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth. Add egg, molasses, and vanilla and mix until thoroughly combined. Gently stir dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing only until just combined. Refrigerate the dough, tightly covered with plastic wrap, for at least one hour, or up to a few days. Before you start forming the cookies, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll level tablespoons of dough into balls. Bake for 10 minutes or until set around the edges, but still slightly soft in the middle. Let cookies cool for 5 to 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack
Split Pea Soup
I couldn’t resist putting in a split pea soup recipe, as its celebration this month inspired this article. This version, adapted from misorecipe.net, uses miso, which adds a rich satisfying flavor.
2 c. green split peas
8 c. water
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced into half-moons
1 large carrot, diced
1 rib celery, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt, or to taste
1 bay leaf
2 T. red, brown rice, or barley miso mixed with 2 T. water
2 T. minced fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried
1/4 tsp. ground celery seed (optional)
Minced parsley for garnish
Rinse peas and place in a 6-quart pot along with the water. Bring to a boil and skim any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer with lid ajar for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, or until the peas are tender. Stir occasionally, adding more water as necessary. While the peas cook, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Add the carrot, celery, and a small pinch of salt, and continue to sauté another 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and continue to cook for 10 minutes. If necessary, add a little water to prevent scorching. Remove from the heat and uncover. When the peas are tender, add the sautéed vegetables, remaining salt, and bay leaf. Stir frequently to prevent scorching and add water if necessary. Continue to simmer for 20 minutes. Add miso, basil, and celery seed, and simmer another 2 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Garnish with parsley before serving.
Lauren Mirkin CNS, LDN, LCPC, NCC is a licensed nutritionist and professional counselor. Please contact her for information about her comprehensive integrative nutrition counseling services, mindful eating workshops, and health and nutrition classes. She also provides psychotherapy for those struggling with eating disorders and disordered eating. She can be reached at 443-326-7023 or holisticnutritionhelp@gmail.com or holisticcounselinghelp@gmail.com.
